


Running

by pakunoduh



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-20 17:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13151379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pakunoduh/pseuds/pakunoduh
Summary: You find him hidden away at the Vesuvian wharf, Julian’s gangly frame huddled up beneath his coat on the dock where the two of you once sat. The last time he tried to hide from you. And now as he runs from you once more.





	Running

You find him hidden away at the Vesuvian wharf, Julian’s gangly frame huddled up beneath his coat on the dock where the two of you once sat. The last time he tried to hide from you. And now as he runs from you once more. 

 

\----

 

It had been the first leisure time you had taken in days, a moment to yourselves to try and relieve the stress on your aching backs. Your timeframe to prove his innocence dwindled to one hand, but you needed this. You’d been cramped under the sturdy tables of the Rowdy Raven for hours, your knees nearly locking in their bent positions beneath the bench you had been sitting on. Court records you’d stolen out from the palace laid scattered around you, your back hunched over the multiple parchments spread out before you. Your eyes were straining to read the official statements from the last masquerade, the small print blurring in front of you, no amount of blinking making the words cooperate. 

You sighed and leaned back, a groan rumbling from your chest at the stretch of your shoulder muscles. You sneered at the stack of papers scattered among the varying mugs of ale and alcohol that littered the table. The secret to Julian’s freedom could be hidden in these flowery witness reports and details of the Count’s reign, you just had to find it.

 

A quick glance over at Julian alerted you to his fraying state. His red hair laid flat against his face in places, anxious sweat clinging to the locks. The bags under his good eye looked angry and bruised; the same for his eye, the white of it bloodshot while his pupil racing across the page in his hand frantically. You heard the growing tension of his leather glove as his grip grew tighter and tighter with each line he passed over, delirium a near visitor in the doctor’s gaze. 

 

The frantic, hopeless aura around Julian was enough for you to slam down on the rich wood beneath your hand, causing him to jump at the loud thud.You quickly grabbed his hand away from the half empty mug of ale it started tensing around, pulling his attention from the paper to you in confusion.

 

He blinked up at your looming form when the idea of a walk left your lips. Your eyes were unfocused in the low light, matching his own gaze except for the determination that resided in them. He didn’t try to fight you, just nodded along with whatever you were saying and slowly rose from the table. You dragged him out onto the street and winced at the bright sunlight that met you there- you’d been in the bar all night raking over the curled papers, the time having gotten away from you apparently.

 

It took a couple alleys before you felt a difference in the tension behind you. Where it once felt like you were dragging Julian along with you, it now felt laxer. Julian seemed to be coming now of his own accord and not just to humor you. You looked over your shoulder when you noticed the difference and were met with a very different doctor behind you. Auburn hair now bounced with each languished step, Julian’s shoulders now relaxed and lowered from the curled up position you’d grown accustomed to in the dim light tavern. His good eye still looked around nervously, but he wasn’t trying to shrink away anymore, now walking relaxed beside you opposed to behind. 

 

He caught you staring at the next mouth of an alley and gave you a soft smile. Some of the Julian you loved came flooding back to his face in that moment. Spontaneously, you threw yourself into kissing him, dragging his lips down to yours with an arm around his neck. You felt his smile against yours before the confusion settled in, his arms looped around your waist when he finally caught on to what was happening. You chose that moment to pull away from the kiss, your eyes bright in adoration as you continued to smile at him.

 

“What was that for?”  he asked, eyebrows furrowed.

 

“Can’t I just be in love?” you responded, grin widening at the flush creeping up Julian’s face. 

 

“Well-” he started, looking away from you still in his arms in an attempt to collect himself, “I can’t very well stop that but-”

 

You took his face in your hands, turning your lover back to face you. A thumb brushed across his red cheek for a moment until you finally spoke, “Then don’t.”

 

His blush darkened under your scrutiny before he cleared his throat with a nod.

 

“Great!” You beamed and released his face with a quick pinch of his cheek, laughing at the disgruntled look that resulted. You stepped out of his embrace slowly before taking his hand once more and lead him to the bazaar.

 

You were there all of twenty minutes before the guards came.

 

\---

 

“Julian.” you call out gently, steps light on the creaking wood of the pier. You watch his shoulders tense, a gloved hand pulling his overcoat tighter despite the warmth of the day.

 

You manage to walk up to his back before he acknowledges you.

 

“Why are you here?” Your sunshine boy is gone, the crack in his revealing the hollow man you thought you had banished in your time together. You drop to your knees behind him, arms reaching out to embrace him from behind. His shoulders touch at the touch of your gentle hands, rising up to protect his neck when your arms wrap around him. 

 

“I hurt you.”

 

Your head pulses as if summoned, the bump on your forehead tender still from your fall in the marketplace. 

 

As soon as Julian spotted the guards, he had pushed you away in an attempt to keep you safe. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been anything to catch you besides your hands when he shoved you away. The empty alley greeted your face when it collided with one of its stone walls, hands falling short of actually helping you when you landed splayed out in the dirt after the collision. You looked up to see his horrified expression before he bolted, long legs carrying him farther and farther away from your reaching hand. 

 

“You didn’t mean to.” you whisper quietly into his hair, eyes closing as you breathe him in.

“That’s exactly the point!” he suddenly explodes, breaking your hold on him and scrambling to his feet. His back is to you as he paces away, “Everything about me is just built to hurt people. Even when I try to help i just. Keep. Hurting you.” he’s near yelling at this point, hands balled into shaking fists by his sides.

 

“Julian, enough!” You stand and march towards him, determination pounding your feet against the wood.

 

“It’s not enough, I deserve this.” He gestures wildy when he turns to you, tears pricking his eyes. He’s leaning in on himself, hands desperately clutching at the buttons of his jacket, eye wide and pained, “I can’t protect you from anything, why can’t you see that?! I can’t make you happy, I’ll just die and leave you with nothing!” 

 

“I don’t need you to protect me!” You finally reach him as the tears start slipping, his face wet when you grip his wrists. He stares at you, searching for any sort of answer in your gaze, mouth agape and shining. 

 

“Julian, look at me.” You capture his face in your hands, forcing him to meet your stare before you continue. “I love you, okay? I love you so much. I am willing to die for you, Julian, do you get that?”

 

“But I-”

 

“Shut up and let me finish.” You jolt him into silence, your voice harsh and dry, “I love you so goddamn much, Julian, but I will not watch you do this to yourself, do you understand me? I will not watch you give up when we are so close to saving you.” Your voice breaks before you could stop it, breathing stuttering through your nose as you try to hold your composure. Your lip quivers for a moment before a sad smile forces its way across your face, “I won’t let you push me away, not when you need me the most.”

 

Julian’s arm snags you by the small of your back and drags you to him, his face pressing into the top of your head where he tries to hide his crying. You blink into the fabric of his inner jacket, your own tears spilling down your cheeks. Your fingers clutch to the dark lapels in front of you before nuzzling into the surprisingly soft fabric. 

 

It takes you a moment to realize he’s speaking above you, words slurring in a flurry of syllables. It takes another moment to realize it’s in a language you recognize, ‘I love you’s and ‘I’m sorry’s spilling into your scalp and bringing your tears to your eyes. 

You pull away from him just enough to bring him back to you, lips pressing into every inch of his skin you can find. Affections tumble from each kiss, an ‘I love you’ touches his eyelid, ‘I need you’ on his nose, ‘you’re so good’ is left on his cheek.

 

‘Please don’t leave me’ falls onto his salt slicked lips, yours starving for breath but making sure he knows he’s loved is just so much more important than oxygen. Your whispers are pained and full of so much love it hurts not to speak them, and your heart breaks when he speaks to you in the same tone, sounding just as wrecked and fragile as you feel in that moment.

 

“I won't."

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a dear friend for christmas and got their blessing to post it so have it! (i have crap at titles ny'all)
> 
> any comments and critiques are welcome! 
> 
> find me @mvriel.tumblr.com if you wanna !


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